One shot love stories
by Cloud of Daybreak
Summary: We have enjoy the League gameplay with many champions, abilities and many other things, but have you ever wondered about the couples and their loves when outside the Rift? Yes, a very interesting feature, but Riot never confirmed them, that's why I'm unleashing my imagination
1. Ionian lotus

**So, Zed and Syndra have always been in the anti-hero role and always appear to be scary and power ful in Summoner's Rift, but what if we go deep inside their daily life at the Institute? Let's feel it.**

* * *

Ringggg...

Zed slammed his hand so strong that the alarm clock broken. He jumped up and away from his bed, warmed himself up by creating his shadows across the bedroom and rapidly changed his position with them. This is not Summoner's Rift, no cooldown, infinite shadows! Fabulous!

"Woo hoo!." Zed shouted cheerily. He could feel that his body was full of energy. He shadow-blinked to the bathroom, pick up his toothbrush, put some toothpaste on it and created a shadow to help him in brushing his teeth. After completing, Zed washed his mouth and told the shadow. "Well done, dude."

He and the shadow high-fived, and on the moment both hands touched each other, the shadow evaporated. The toothbrush dropped onto floor.

"Ha ha, sorry!" Zed apologised.

Without paying any care to the brush, he got back to his room, put on his ninja suit, his helm and his mask. Then he shadow-blinked to outside corridor. From there, he could see that snow was falling in the garden, full of snow. He continuously blinked along the corridor in order to reduce his time running. At the cafeteria, he speaked loudly to anyone who would like to listen to him. "Snow day!"

That was how Zed be when he was happy. In less than one second, some of the champions have speaked back to show their support to him.

"Snow day!" Miss Fortune replied.

"Snow day!" Ahri cried.

"Snow day!" Lux shouted.

Bard shouted, er, no, rang his chimes.

"Snow day!" Teemo raised his high tone.

"Snow day!" Draven roared.

And finally, Graves and Twisted Fate bellowed. "SNOW DAYY!"

Zed blinked outside,to the snow yard and the champions who supported him followed him, too.

Lux suggested. "For equality, we should divide into teams."

"There will be nothing called 'equal' or something similar to it. This'll be a chaotic fight!" Zed said.

"That's how a fight be!" Graves agreed in reply.

"Yeah, but there will be no explosives, all will be snow!." Miss Fortune said. Ahri asked excitedly. "So, can we start now?"

"Of course!" They replied all together. Everyone splited to their position on the yard. Lux said loudly. "Ready! Three, two, one, start!"

A rain of snow fell to many different directions. Zed, on his own, taken 'damage' from the snowballs from three or four directions. He created his shadows everywhere, they picked up snow, made snowballs and throw them across the yard. One landed right on Ahri's face, the other made Graves dropped his Destiny, another one, which Zed had no idea about where it gone but he could hear Draven shouted. "Oh, my ****!"

The fight continued with other people joined like Olaf, Ashe, Tristana, but none of them used their main weapons, there's only three things: snow, snow and snow. Miss Fortune loaded some snowballs into her candy cane pistols and released waves of snow from them to the fight. Everyone tried to run away from it but it's too late. Almost everyone fell to Miss Fortune's storm, except Twisted Fate but she couldn't realise him. She yelled. "Yay, I won!"

As soon as Fortune completed her words, her face was buried in Twisted Fate's snowball. He shouted. " _I am_ the winner!"

Every other champs looked at each other. You know what we have to do right now! When they rushed to Twisted Fate in order to taught him a lesson for cheating, he used his magic card to teleport away. They must got angry of him.

* * *

Zed was sitting and was thinking about the fight. At that time, he was sitting at the cafeteria, drinking some alcohol with Jax. People no longer afraid of Zed like how they used to be, they have became friendlier to him. Some of them, at least. Zed sighed. It seemed that Jax have realized something beyond Zed's mask. He asked. "Are you thinking about something, Zed?"

Zed nodded. "Jax, have you ever experienced the feeling of being alone? The feeling that none even pay a care to you, live in the community but get treated like a monster, or worse, like an invisible man, like you are not exist?"

"Of course I did." Jax grinned. "This old man have experienced it. I lost my family, my friends, my hometown. I just don't want to remind those awful memory. But you seems to not be alone, why are you asking me this?

"I don't understand." Zed contemplated his bottle. "I've got everything: fame, money, power, and I also made friend ưith many champions, but, I feel like I am missing something very important. I have no idea about it."

Suddenly, Ahri came to take her seat by Zed's side and Graves took his seat by Jax's side, that's why Zed got stuck with Ahri. She said. "I know the thing you miss."

"So, what is it?" Zed grinned in reply.

"Not _what_ , Zed, it's _who_." Ahri slapped her palms to each other. "A girl, Zed." She said with a cunning grin.

"If you are going to seduce me..."

"Shut up you fool," Ahri interrupted Zed immediately. "I have many other hobbies rather than seducing a men, and you are not in my favorite list as well."

"Oh, ok," Zed said guiltily, "but what make you think that I need a girl?"

Ahri sighed. "I know a lot about men, Zed, they drink even when being sad or happy, in your case, it's sadness. You've got many things you want." She listed. "Money, fame, power, friends. In short, you've got _almost_ everything. In this case, the lost in love has made you sad."

Zed was surprised. He wondered why Ahri's words was so exactly. She have answered the questions that he asked his own mind. "So, which girl do you think will fit me the most?" Zed asked.

Ahri snorted. "Let me tell you, she's on the lakeside, having fun with her snowballs." Zed stared at the direction that Ahri has said, but the distance was too far for him to see properly. Ahri took Zed's half vanished bottle of alcohol, poured all of the liquid inside into her throat, then she gave a comforted sound. She said. "Let me take you there."

Ahri picked Zed up and set him on her back, then she dashed with an anti-gravity speed to outside. Irelia, who was unfortunately sitting near Ahri's path, shouted in anger. "Ahri! Have you been playing with _methamphetamine_ recently?!"

Ahri didn't even care about what Irelia said and she just kept going straight with maximum speed. When they arrived at an elder tree (a type of tree, not a tree at old age), she put Zed down.

"How can you be so _strong_?" Zed asked while breathing hastily.

"If I have some alcohol, then I'll even be strong enough to pick this tree up, dude." Ahri giggled. "Sadly there's no alcohol in Summoner's Rift shop."

"Er, okay... So where's the girl you were talking about?" Zed looked around. Ahri pointed her index finger to a place that was ten meters from where they were standing, the lakeside. Zed looked at the direction, and he startled.

A girl, who was sitting by the side of the frozen lake, was wearing a white winter coat. She commanded big snowballs to fly around in the air and then rushed ro each other which made them explode. Then pieces of snow fused into other snowballs and started again.

"Are you mad?" Zed scolded Ahri. "She's the last one I want to meet!"

Ahri blinked strangely, then it changed to a disappointed look. "Ahhhh, so you end up just to be a senseless ass." She said.

Zed were kind of silenced. "Have you forget it, that you two, you and Syndra, used to be best friends." Ahri continued. "You two have many points similar to each other: both possess a forbidden technique of Ionia; both were torn away from Ionian social; both killed your masters and finally felt regret doing it. Both of you have the ambitiousness of being on the top; both have the same sadness, same feeling of being alone. You and Syndra used to talk countless times; I have witness it through the Crystal Ball of Memories; those words, how sincerely, honest and truthful they are!" Ahri chucked to smooth her words and said. "Weirdly, those feelings just paused at friendship at that time." She sighed. "You two used to always be with each other, helped each other. You, the one who saved Syndra when she was attacked by phantasmal wolves at midnight. You, the one who appeased Syndra when those phantoms insulted her without being punished by Syndra herself. You, who shared your stories with her when she had no one to talk. Syndra repaid you many times as well. Who bandaged you when the wolves hurted you? It's her. Who calmed you down when your servants didn't do like what you said? It's her. Who cooked food for you when you were lost in the forest? Also her." Ahri contemplated the sky as she laid her back on the elder trunk, and she went on. "Those moments affected you both, even more efficiency than friend conversations. And that was the time you two started to have feelings on each other, like apricot blossoms under the dawn light, like a flame that slowly burnt the abandoned charcoal, like an almost clemmed deer what managed to find a pure stream." And Ahri started to raise her intensity. "You and her loved each other naturally like it had to be from the beginning! But you, you made friends with some people and you left Syndra in pain and grief, and she bacame lonely! You just look at her like that and do nothing for her, the girl who shared happiness and sadness to you, much happiness about that?!"

...

Zed looked down, before Ahri's words, couldn't say a thing. Only now did he realize that he was to bad. No, he can still fix this, on his own.

"I see," Zed said, "I will go talk to Syndra right now."

Ahri sighed. Zed walked toward the girl who was sitting by the side of the lake.

He said quietly. "Syndra..."

Syndra startled and turned her head around, and as soon as she saw Zed, she lifted herself up to the air, face-to-face him.

"Zed, why are you here?" Syndra echoed.

Zed looked at Syndra, said." Syndra, I'm here to say sorry..."

"About what?" Syndra choked in pain. "I think you have never commit any mistake to me, have you?"

"Syndra, listen to me, I know you are upset about me, but please forgive me, I'll tell everyone to welcome you."

Syndra looked at Zed for about one second, then she looked up and started to laugh. An icy, humorless laugh. She looked at Zed again and said cruelly. "Welcome? You are trying to fool me, Zed. You are actually going to play around and get your damn friends to come and laugh at my face, Zed. I know that you already forgot me since you got new friends."

"Syndra..."

"We have no more to say, go away before I get mad!"

"No, I won't go until you listen to me!"

"Ha, you asked for it, as you wish!"

Unexpectedly, a snowball flew into Zed's face, which made him took a few steps back. It was not a fun snowball. His helm and mask were dropped away and he could taste the blood in his mouth. Without cooling down, Zed felt something, not like a snowball but was like a _cannonball_ , rushed into his stomach, and he were knocked backward for like ten meters. After a few minutes, he stood up hard. Syndra already flew to the other side of the lake. Zed was knocked to the elder root, in which trunk Ahri was laying her back.

"Ahri, can you take me to the Institute's infirmary?" Zed asked.

Ahri laughed drily and bitterly. She shook her head. "You deserve it, Zed, for a _hundred_ times higher!"

After hearing that, Zed limped toward the infirmary. "You are right, I deserve it." He said to Ahri before going.

* * *

"Why did you come to her?" Akali said angrily while she was pouring a kind of thick potion into Zed's mouth. The nurse had said that term for like millions of time in a few hours.

Zed swallowed the potion and replied. "It's none of your business, stop asking."

Suddenly, someone knocked the door.

"Come in." Said Akali.

The door opened and Ahri stepped in. "Akali, can I visit him yet?"

"Don't hesitate to do so. However, in order to discharge, Zed need permission from . I think I'm gonna come to talk to him right now." Akali said. Then she got out of the room, left Zed and Ahri back.

"Ahri, now I know how much Syndra had to suffer." Zed said. "I have injured her soul! Why, why was I so stupid?! I shouldn't be living anymore!" He shouted bitterly.

"And only now did you realize it. I think that's a big appeasement for Syndra." Ahri derided.

Zed looked at her, and she quickly, slightly waved her hand. "Just kidding, it's not too late yet. As soon as you discharge, go talk to her. The thing you need is your words to take her faith and her love." She said.

"She didn't even let me explain..."

"That's the problem, when you meet her, land the first strike, don't give her a chance to hurt herself. Use your first strike as a pedal to go on, then you can explain to show your heart, there's no use sitting here and cry!" Ahri saliva-swallowed. "You know, Riven had said one thing that hardly anyone heard it: 'I'd redeem one time to realize the purpose of my life, rather than being penitent for ten times but do no help to the society!' She was right, being penitent does no help if you don't redeem by your act. What does we enlight the truth to ourself for, if we don't bring that truth to everyone?"

Zed brainstormed, then he nodded. He said. "I'll do my best to bring Syndra back."

As soon as he said so, Akali opened the infirmary door and said. "Shen has just give you permission to discharge from the infirmary, and, er, remember to stay healthy. That's all. Oh, I forgot, your helm and mask have been picked up, too."

Ahri whispered to Zed. "Prepare a present for Syndra, it's Snow day."

"I don't know what to gift her." Zed whispered back.

"I'll tell you, but you have to fight to her mouth in order to gift her."

* * *

"Zed, she's there, quick!" Ahri cheered. Zed could see Syndra, again, was sitting on the lakeside. He hid the present box into his suit, then walked toward. When almost arrived, he called. "Syndra!"

Syndra turned her head around. "Why are you here again?!" She screamed. "Go away, I don't want to see your face! You wanna take it again?"

"Syndra, you have to listen..." Zed hesitated.

"Listen your d***, that's all enough, I don't want to listen!"

"Syndra..."

"I told you to go away! Or you want to enjoy another sphere?!"

"SYNDRA!" Zed roared. Syndra was like stunned before the words.

"You dare..." She said shakily.

Zed interrupted her. "I know I have done many unforgivable things to you, I'm not here to conjure for forgiveness. I'm here to show my heart, I'm not so senseless as you thought. For a long time, just for my friend, I had forgot our feelings to each other. Yes, I'm foolish. I were too foolish to realize how my actions and my words hurt you. I deserve a punishment, and I'm here to take it. But before you do so, please think it over, because even if you are not going to forgive me, I'll still be with you to protect you, from now on and to ever. If so, I can feel that I could do something good to you."

"So, what if I kill you?" Syndra asked.

"No problems, but my soul with then come to you, not to harm, but to protect you, again. We can't leave each other and no matter how far we separate, our figures are still in our hearts. That's the duty which Nature gave us and we took it naturally and instinctively. I have to complete my duty, no matter how much I'll have to sacrifice, no matter in the role of your lover, your friend, or your bodyguard!"

...The two silently comtemplated each other. Zed was waiting for a reaction from Syndra. And then, after one minute or more the thing he was expecting for has came. Syndra slowly stood up, walked towards him, pulled his hand to make him be on the lakeside.

"Sit down." She ordered. Zed did it, and Syndra sat down beside him. She asked. "Where did you get those words from?"

Zed grinned. "I have never prepared for a talking paragraph. These words are all from my heart." He said.

Syndra looked to the farside of the lake, comtemplated somewhere faraway. She sighed. "Good words. You have just said that you'll sacrifice your own sake for me, right? So prove it."

The term 'prove it' was what Zed was waiting for; he took the box of present outside from hide and gave it to Syndra. She looked at the box and grinned. "Sacrifice much, huh?"

Zed laughed. "Just open it."

Syndra tore the paper layer of the box, and a thin sapphire board appeared before her eyes. There was a cut went along with its side, gave a sign that it was two extremely thin boards sticked their surface. She opened the two sapphire layers, and startled. Two boards, one had a photo on it, Syndra was the main feature of the photo. She was bareheaded, was wearing a long purple robe;her right hand raise equal to her shoulder, her middle and index fingers were raising to make a V-shape; her thumb, her little and ring fingers were holding a lotus stem with a lotus on it; her left hand were holding a lotus leaf pad umbrella. She was standing on a rock in lotus swamp, which was during its season, with pink lotus blossoms and round green pads. The other board had a golden line on it, it said: 'Merry Snow day, Synny! Zed.'

Syndra looked at Zed. Zed said. "That's the photo which you like the most!"

"But... there's only one like this, and it was burnt already."

"Ahh, I think, I have many other Snow days, I can wish for myself next year."

"So you sacrificed your wish this year for me? Wait..." Syndra narrowed her eyes, "how could a wish certainly become truth if it nearly impossible?" She asked in care. "May I see your wrist?"

"Er, I think you will not want, I..." Zed hesitated.

Syndra pulled Zed's arm to panic-struck saw a clean, deep cut on his wrist.

"You idiot!" She shouted. "Am I that important for you to sacrifice your wish and an additional half litre of blood to certain your wish? Am I deserve for you to do it?!"

"I told that I will sacrifice my own sake for yours." Zed said. "I know no matter how many times I redeem, your wounded soul can never be healed completely. However, I'll do everything I can to prevent the wounds from getting wider."

Syndra looked worrily at his wound, said. "Let me bandage it." And as she was saying, she shot a deep purple energy flux from her palm. The flux then covered Zed's wrist and bandaged it. Zed could feel memories rushing into his mind, when he used to be at the Celestial fortress with Syndra.

Upon completion, Syndra said. "May I see your face again."

Without Zed's allowance, she place her hand on his mask and his helm, gently removed them. She caressed the scar on his cheek with her index finger.

"Sorry." Syndra said. "I did it to you."

"No, that's what I deserve."

Syndra looked at Zed's face for a moment and smiled. "I have a present for you, too."

"You... have one?" Zed surprised. Syndra nodded.

"Close your eyes!"

"I'm..."

"Just close them!"

Zed closed his eyes, nervously waited. After a few seconds, he could feel Syndra's arm were closing on his nape and embracing it, and his lips sunddenly felt hot. That was taste was difficult to describe: sweet as honey but spicy as chili, hotter that magma but colder than true ice... After a moment that only gods know how long it lasted, Syndra pulled him away, and he opened his eyes. Their lips and tongue weren't touching anymore but Zed could still felt the taste, mostly changed to bitter.

Syndra smiled. "How is it?"

"Great!" Zed smiled in reply. "May we start again?"

"The kiss or our relationship?"

"Both, I think."

"You are so greedy!" Syndra giggled. Then she pulled Zed hear to her and gave him another passionate but bitter kiss. Zed wanted this moment to last forever. Is there any other things could ruin this moment of him?

...

Haha, actually there is, but I won't mention it right here.


	2. A blooming flower

**Guys and gals, I'm back, earlier than expected. I had to spend a little time everyday writing this one. I have became busier than before. Here's the story: In the recent Demacia story update, Riot has denied the relationship of Ezreal and Lux, as Lux said that they've never talked. That triggered me, a lot. This story is the hope of a fan who cared much about lores and champ daily life, and his name is Cloud of Daybreak. Let's go.**

* * *

Lux x Ezreal:

Ezreal was sad. He had been paying much effort into his expedition, and it came to nowhere. Our prodigal explorer had always been a guy who is addicted in learning things and travelling around, but he didn't know much about romantic things like girls, roses, poems or things like that, and the disaster which had occured one years back was feeding his hobby of learning.

Twisted Fate said that he must find a girlfriend to help him in his job or else he would be never be able to find out the truth about the disaster. _Who cares_. Ezreal thought. What a fool, he didn't know Fate's words were intended.

He sighed as he closed the book, which was about black magic and dark arts in Runeterra, at least in reach of human. One more book, and he were not able to find out who was the one to cause the disaster; the only information he got that it were caused by black magic.

"You goddamn stupid books, why you never tell me about the info i need?!" He shouted at the shelf, and that moment he realized that he was totally screwed. The next thing he knew that he took a kick on his ass by Nasus and banished from the library, for being noisy. Ezreal stamped out of the library in frustration and went to the cafeteria, where he could find Twisted Fate and Graves, who were playing cards with Miss Fortune.

"Hey, you cheated, I could see your hand replaced the Jack card with number four!" Graves shouted, and Twisted Fate went awkward. Our Ez took a seat next to Fate's, and Fate took the juncture to escape from Graves's anger.

"How's your expedition going, bro?" Asked him.

"Still going to nowhere." Ezreal answered in sadness. Fate laughed and slapped Ez's shoulder.

"I told you, just get a girlfriend, there must always be some kind of romance in discovering, that's life, understood?"

"Why it must always be a girlfriend?" Ezreal asked.

"Oh my Nagakabouros, you are duller than how you looked." Fate growled. "I'll explain, if I were an explorer, I'll get a girlfriend to cheer me up, you know, sometimes the fortune doesn't come consecutively. You are exploring black magic, then choose a mage girl, a girl who you know the most, what if she can unlock your questions."

"I have thought about it, but all black mage girls in the League are not in my cup of tea." Ezreal sighed.

"No, I didn't mean it; she doesn't need to be a black mage, ok? Just an ordinary mage, even a light mage can answer you."

Suddenly, a figure appear in Ezreal's mind, a blonde, white girl who use spark as her weapon. His cheeks turned to the color of riped tomatoes. "Your words are intended!" He said.

Fate laughed derisively; behind him, Graves and Fortune are playing a new card game. "You didn't realize it until now, how lame!" Fate said to Ezreal. "Listen to me, that girl will help you, just need to ask nicely. Go do it, and then you'll have to be grateful to me Ez."

"Okay, maybe I have no choice other than listen to you." He said. "Don't try to help me, I'll find her myself."

Our explorer then stood up, walk away from the cafeteria. He tried to remember where Lux usually was. She was a famous light mage in League. However, the Demacians didn't know anything about her potential, just because her family tried to hide it from them. Ezreal felt it weird, why Demacians thought that magic was evil and had to be eliminated. Back to finding Lux, our explorer still got no luck. He walked around near the paddy field, which was usual in tropical nations like Demacia or Noxus, that was why Ezreal thought Lux was there. And yes, of course, the light mage appeared before his sight, and it looked like she was playing around with someone.

"Hey Riven, I have more tumble weed to throw, enjoy your job cleaning them!" Lux shouted. Riven, who was using a broom to clean the big road that led to the main gate of the Institute, was very angry.

She shouted back. "Lux! You are so annoying! Three months ago you interrupted Zed and Syndra when they were having a sweet kiss, and after so many crazy jokes, now you are trying to give me more works to do. How much more cruel can you become?!"

"I think my cruelty is limitless, Riven! Everyone are cruel, it's just how they show it!" Lux said happily.

"You are a mature, Lux," Riven said acidly, "and you still didn't even get a boyfriend at this age. You know I had to find and learn a lot about my lover in order to marry him! If you don't get one early, then you'll get none, for your whole life!"

It seemed that Riven had flushed Lux's face with a bucket of cold water. "No!" Lux choked shakily. "You were still older than me when you got your lover. Just wait for it, I'll show you who Lux truly is!"

"Then we will see. But it's very difficult for a devil like you to get one." Riven grinned. "Tell me when you find a guy!" Then she walked along the road and continued doing her work. Lux turned around and stamped away on the edge between to field, toward where Ezreal was, but she didn't recognize Ezreal's position.

"Hey hey hey, watch out, you nearly crashed into me!" Ezreal warned Lux as she was about to rush on him without a reason.

"Oops, sorry, er, oh, Ezreal?" Lux was silenced when she saw him. "Sorry, again." She turned left and used her hand to cover her mouth. She giggled bashfully. "So, what is an explorer like you doing here? Are you looking for me?"

"Er, yea, I'm going to ask you something." Ezreal answered.

"Wait, don't do it right here," Lux said, "We should go to some shop like the café or... er somewhere like that."

"Well, alright, how about Demacian café, that may be good."

"No, that place is always crowded, High café is more appropriate." Lux smiled. "Any problem?"

"Ok, I just need to complete my work anyway." Ezreal said. "And you should give me an answer about it."

Lux giggled. "Good, the café is there." She pointed to somewhere through her shoulder. "I'll guide you there, remember to keep up with me. Shall we go now?"

"Of course, as you wish." Our explorer answered, and Lux giggled again. She said. "Follow me." She turned around and walked quickly, Ezreal had to walk at the same speed as her.

While they were walking, Lux asked. "Hey, I have a question for you."

"Don't hesitate to ask."

"So, er, have you ever got a girlfriend or kissed anyone, I mean, have you got any, er, some kind of... romantic moment with anyone?" Lux asked.

"Uhmm, yea, I actually did, once, and she was you."

"Ah, I still remember that drawing, but the artist only saw us and offer us to be models," Lux said, "we have never had a real conversation."

Unexpectedly, she turned around, Ezreal didn't have time to react or do anything other than just walked straight up. Due to their height are close to each other, their lips touched... Oh, well... Errr... Ezreal was too surprised to pull Lux away. And Lux, why must she pull him away? That's what she wanted when she turned around. Want to express the feelings? Simply, one word: inexpressible. That's all.

Ezreal pulled Lux away, he could feel his cheeks and his lips became hotter. "I'm, er, sorry, I didn't mean to do that." Ezreal hastily apologized.

Lux's face riped red, and she smiled. "It's ok, that was not your fault." She giggled, again. "I liked it anyway. Thanks, a lot."

"What?" Ezreal knitted his brow. "So you meant that? Why could you try to make me kiss you when we haven't know a lot about each other? I don't think I can go with you."

"Oh, hey," Lux was a bit scared, "but, I thought you wanted to meet me? Who will answer your question?" She then changed her voice to naughty. "I think I know what are you asking. Your expedition, right?"

"Huh, how did you know that?" Ezreal asked.

"Let's go to the High café, I'll answer." Lux winked.

* * *

"You are right, this is such a quiet place." Ezreal said as he and Lux walked into the café.

Lux chuckled. "See, I told you." They choosed two seats near the corner of the café.

The waiter walked toward them and asked. "So, what do you two want for drink, or eat?"

"Actually, we are just.." Ezreal started.

But Lux interrupted him. "Two cups of hot tea, please. For me, and this gentleman." She winked one eye to Ezreal. He thought that Lux... liked him, a little. A good chance to ask, though.

"So, back to my main purpose, can you give me the answer?" Ezreal asked.

"Oh, just ask, I don't mind it." Lux answered.

"Firstly, I'm learning and trying to find out the criminal who caused the disaster last year, " When Ezreal talked about this, Lux startled. ",and what kind of magic he, or she used. Do you have any clue, or idea?"

Lux seemed to be very surprise, and a little scared, but then she answered. "I clearly know who, and what magic."

Our explorer was a little astonished before her answer. He wondered why a such a sincere, childlike girl could know anything about this.

"However, I don't think that I want to tell you about this, it's quite... secret." Lux swallowed her saliva. "Can we talk about something else? I'm not ready yet."

"Please. I need the answer so bad, so if you know it, please tell me." Ezreal begged. When he complete his words, the waiter came back to where the couple, oh, no, not yet, just the two champions, not couple yet. He picked two cups of tea from a tray and placed them on the table.

"Are you Ezreal and Lux, two of the champions in League?" He asked.

Ezreal nodded, but Lux didn't response. The waiter said with a smile. "Have a good time!" Then he went back to the kitchen.

"Drink it right now, Ezreal, its taste is the best when it's hot." Lux said. "But don't be too fast, be slow in order to feel it."

Ezreal grinned. He said. "You say as thought I have never drink tea before, lady."

Lux rounded her eyes. "What, did you just make a joke? You really know how to joke?" After hearing that, Ezreal laughed, and Lux did the same.

After calming himself down, Ezreal coughed. "So, can you please tell me the answer?" He asked.

Lux's eyes turned fierce and she snorted." I told you, it's not time yet."

"Are you trying to avoid the truth that you don't know it?" Ezreal asked with a little high tone. "If you don't know, then I'll go to ask someone else. I don't want to waste my time, and yours."

"Sorry, what did you say?" Lux growled. "You think that I am a fool? That I don't know anything about this? You mean so?"

"No, you misunderstood. I just want to find the answer, and if you don't want to tell me, then I'll just ask the others, no offense."

"I didn't know you are that kind of person." Lux scolded. Depend on her words, it seemed that she didn't care about what Ezreal had said. She continued. "You force people to tell you the answers for your b***s*** expeditions, and if they don't you will offend them, don't you?"

"Lux, why you.."

"Fine fine, I'll tell you, you _f**king_ asshole!" Lux shouted heavily. "Do you know how much I suffered to be like today?! Two years ago, when I was a naive girl, I found a book that King Jarvan III told the soldiers to seal it! I knew that it was a very dark and evil book, but my curiousity and the whispers from that goddamn book had attracted me! Using the book, I learned the dark magic and caused that disaster! Yes, that's right, I _am_ the criminal who did it. And when I tried to hide it, you just appear and make things harder! Do you even think about that!"

Ezreal was shocked. Thousands of questions popped up in his mind. _How can Lux be the criminal? How did she learn the magic? Why he haven't ever seen her perform it?_ _This is not possible, this must be a joke!_

"Lux, do not scare me, you were not the criminal, weren't you?" Ezreal asked, terrified.

"Don't pretend to be stupid, asshole! Now go tell everyone about this f**king news and tell them to offend me!" Lux choked in anger. "People will be terrified of me, I'll be remembered as a monster, forever!"

At the end of her words, she burst into tears. She stood up, ran away from the café, but she could not make it far. When Lux ran away a few feet from the door, she bend her knees, looked down, cried painfully. Our explorer just sat there, shocked, didn't know what to do.

Suddenly, someone called. "Lux! What happened?" No one could mess this high tone to any other things. Right, that was Veigar, with Lulu walking beside him.

"Who made you cry Lux? Did you get hurt?" Lulu asked in care. Lux cover her face with her hands. She shook her head, sobbed.

"So what happened to you!?" Veigar said angrily, when he suddenly saw Ezreal. "Is he the one who hurt you?"

Lux shook her head again. "No, not him, he didn't do anything." She took a deep snort. "Can... can you take me to the infirmary? I need somewhere... quiet, to calm myself down."

"Okay, okay." Lulu said, "Just stand up, we will take you there."

Lux stood up and walked away with Veigar and Lulu. Before going, Lulu shot a fierce look at Ezreal.

* * *

"Are you being upset?" Ahri said. It was not a question, it was a confirmation. Ezreal nodded. "And that's why you look for me?" Ahri asked. Our explorer nodded again.

"So, those rumors are true?" He asked.

"What rumors?" Ahri narrowed her eyes, but then she widen them. "Ah, did people tell you 'If you are happy, look for Ahri, your happiness will be completed; if you are sad, come to her, your sadness will be vanished.' aren't they?"

Ezreal nodded in agreement. "Did they tell the truth?"

"In some ways." Ahri said. "Sometimes, meeting me only make things more complicated. Can you tell me your situation so I can help you?"

"Of course," Ezreal replied.

After our explorer have told Ahri everythings that happened between him and Lux, he stood there and waited for her to response.

"Oh, this is getting messy." Ahri comtemplated Ezreal. "Quite difficult. This is, not in my control, you know. I have nothing to tell you more, I think you have ruined your own chance."

"What?!" He asked astonishingly. "Even a relationship expert can't even help this? Did I really made things that complicated?"

Ahri sighed and shook her head. "I'm not a heartseeker, don't say as thought I can do anything." She gave a glance at somewhere behind Ezreal. "However, I think Syndra or Lulu can help this, they are both Lux's friends (Surprise!?). Maybe they can give you some advice."

Ezreal could see the Fox's glance, and he turned his head around. Soon enough, he found out that the two girls who Ahri have mentioned were... flying toward him.

Ahri took a step back. "Good luck, Ezreal. I don't want to involve this, I'm retreating right now." She grinned, then dashed to the garden. Our explorer sighed, then he turned around to face Syndra and Lulu, who were not very happy.

"Soooo, Ezreal..." Syndra echoed. A dark sphere was dancing on her palm. "Do you know why we are here?"

Ezreal sweat dropped. "Ermm, I... errr."

"You forgot it?" Syndra said. "A sphere might help you to remember it."

"You don't need to say that much, Syndra," Lulu muttered, "just take him to Lux, she will do what she wants."

"Hey, hey, wait!" Ezreal said hurrily. "It wasn't all my fault!"

"It wasn't all yours, then whose it was?!" Lulu shouted.

"Didn't you hear when you and Veigar took her away, she have said that I wasn't fault?" Ezreal shouted back.

"That's what she told us!" The Sorceress was very angry. "Who knows what actually happened! What if you forced her to not tell the truth!?"

"Wait!" Syndra interrupted. "It is possible that he's right. Ezreal, can you tell me what exactly happened?"

"Syn, he's a liar! Don't..." Lulu was about to stop Syndra, but Syndra raised a finger in order to pause her.

"Just let him tell his story, Lulu." Syndra said.

Ezreal took a deep breath. He started. "So, it was when I asked Lux to give me some info about the criminal who used dark magic to cause the disaster one year ago. She didn't want to tell me about that. And you know what, when I said that I wanted to ask some other people, she got angry. I don't know this, but according to Lux, she herself was the criminal." Ezreal sighed. "Did she know what was she saying at that time? I feel like she has became too different from one year ago, when I left the Institute to go explore."

Syndra and Lulu glanced at each other. Wow, things were more complicated than they expected. "Ezreal..." Syndra started. "This is very difficult to say but..." She glanced at Lulu and received a nod in reply. "..Lux was right, she was the criminal, and she used dark magic, too."

"No.. this can't be true!" Ezreal choked. He didn't want to believe this. Although he was really into his job as an explorer, he was still, at least, sometimes think about Lux as a very playful and childlike girl. How can she be a dark mage? (Need explanations?)

"I see, Ezreal.." Lulu said with a pity voice. "You have gone from the Institute and haven't contact the modern world for one year and a half. It's difficult to get any information. You can calm down and we'll tell you about it."

* * *

Knock knock

"The door isn't locking." Lux said. The door opened, the one who stepped in was Ezreal.

"Ezreal!" Lux shouted astonishingly. She stood up and walked toward him. "Is that really you?"

"Lux.. I just want to say sorry." Ezreal said. "I my questions were so difficult."

Lux seemed to not care about his words, she took his hand and pulled him into the room. She set our explorer on a chair and said. "Ezr, I'm sorry, I couldn't control myself. You must get mad at me right?" Her tone was shakier than regular.

"No, Lux, I _am_ the one who have to apologise." Ezreal snorted. "Lulu and Syndra told me the story. I cannot feel you, but I can sympathize you. You had to suffer more than you deserve, Lux."

"Oh, about that..." Lux smiled. "That was not too much suffer, I get used to my dark power now." When she talked about this, her eyes glowed purple, but then changed back to normal. "Just like a bite from an ant. And you know what, I'll tell you, the book that I learned this dark magic from is named 'Ten elements'. Just some help to your expedition, actually."

"And next, there's other things I want to tell you." Lux sat down to a chair next to Ezreal. "Do you know, sometimes, no matter how strong and powerful you are, you still have to be unity and accompany others in order to become stronger. You have very strong arcane light magic, I have my light and spark power (darkness not allowed ;)), combine together, we make the brightest lights ever, with this similarity, we can share our thoughts together."

"So, in conclusion, you want me to be your friend right?" Ezreal asked. Lux's words were awesome, actually.

"No, I don't." Lux said. "I want people to be my friends, but you, Ezr. Friends, that's a good way to share things, but not enough, I want someone even more than friends. Ezreal, from the bottom of my heart, and I have waited for this for so long."

"I-love-you!" Lux ended and smiled. "Be my lover, Ezr."

Wooooowwww. That was so fasttt. Ezreal was totally passive, and Lux was initiative. In this case, there might be a nice relationship, you know?

Back to our explorer, he was surprised and stunned. After understanding what did Lux say, he said. "Yes, I will be your lover, Lux. I loce you, too."

"Thank you a lot!" Lux jumped up. She then ran to the window, shouted happily to the outside.

She shouted to the garden below. "Riven, guess what!"

"What is it this time!?" Riven shouted back.

"I just get a _lover_!" Lux raised her tone in the 'lover' word.

"No way, you must be lying!"

* * *

 **Then, another love bloomed, like a flower in the dawn. Of course, Lux and Ezr will have many difficult things to deal with, but we can't help, that's life.**

 **I don't know when can I return, but surely I will, just wait guys, hopes never fade!**

 **Best wishes!**


	3. Light after nights

**I'm back, everyone! It was a really hard time for me. Finally, after so many, kinda, days, months, years, idk, I don't have a proper feeling about time, I can now back to write my stories. The examination to get into High School was really exhausting.**

 **You know, this pair can be not accepted by some people due to the lore changes of Riot, but in my heart, this is still a very beautiful ship. Just say, one of the two is my main, too. Anyway, I don't have many ideas for this one so please do not blame.**

* * *

Leona x Pantheon:

"Red team DOUBLE KILL!" The sky goddess announced. Leona felt a sudden heart attack and laid down.

When she woke up, Jinx were next to her on the summoning platform.

"Are you going to stop _feeding_!?" Leona asked irritatedly. It was at 10 mins 26 secs and this was the second time Jinx died, result in Leona's deaths, too. In short, she and Jinx have fed four kills total to Miss Fortune. That was bad.

"Aw, c'mon, what's the worst that could happen?" Jinx giggled. She jumped off the platform and ran toward bottom lane. Leona followed her with a lower speed.

"Jinx! Why are you building Stinger?" She shouted. "What the hell are you planning?!"

"Trust me, this will work!" Jinx shouted back. She seemed to be very excited. "Trinity Force will be my next choice." Then she whispered to the headphones near her mouth. "Graves, Pantheon, I have a plan, and this will work properly." Leona could hear it because every member of the team had a pair of headphones to chat with the others. "Ok, listen." Jinx said.

20 minutes later...

"You know what," Leona said to Graves, who were on the platform with her, "we should have known that a plan of Jinx will never works. We are losing: thirty-five kills compare to seventy-eight kills, only one turret, no dragons and three thousand gold behind them." She sighed.

"Don't worry." Graves encouraged her. "This girl is unpredictable, we don't know what will she do next."

" _That_ is what made me worried about her." Leona growled. "I'm going right now, Panth and Annie are calling us for Baron as Nautilus is the only one who left in enemy team." She ran away from the platform. "This will be our chance!" She shouted.

...

"Quick!" Pantheon said to the team. "They are heading toward us!"

"Jinx don't have any damage!" Leona said as she slammed her shield to Baron's belly. "How are we supposed to do it quick? The Baron haven't fall half of his health yet."

Suddenly, a red ward appeared on the side of Baron pit. A flash bolt fell on top of the ward, twisted in it. The team could see Vi waiting on the other side of the wall due to their ward.

"I'll take care of this." Graves growled. "There I go!" He dashed through the wall and threw a smoke grenade at Vi.

Inside the pit, Nautilus completed his teleportation and Thresh and Ziggs rushed in. At the time, Baron's pit fell into chaos. Ziggs threw a massive bomb right into Baron. Fortunately, Leona sent a necklace to the sky, which aura burnt Thresh and healed the team.

"A blue champion is unstoppable!"

Graves ended Vi with a huge cannon blast and flashed back in the pit.

"Smite!" He shouted. A red bolt struck at the Baron. The Baron roared in pain, slowly faded away and the whole Leona's team were surrounded by a purple aura, gave a sign that Graves had killed the void serpent.

"Jinx! Why are you running?" Leona asked. "We got the Baron! We are winning!"

Jinx didn't answer, she just ran away from the combat as fast as she could. Graves, who were paying to much attention at Jinx, got hooked by Thresh. Although blue team got the Baron, distance between two team was still to far, that was why their enemy stayed the fight. Right at the time, a flurry of bullets rapidly fired in.

"Fortune has came!" Pantheon warned (not a real 'fortune', actually).

Graves laid down to the bullet Fortune's bullet waves. Annie did as well because she were too fragile before the damage. At that time, both Leona and Pantheon glanced at each other. The Sun aspect shouted, she shot a beam of sun energy forward with her sword, and the War aspect rushed toward the red team along with her.

A sun beam suddenly struck on to Thresh and Nautilus and managed to stun them. Without missing the chance, Pantheon released a flurry of spear essence to them.

"Blue team DOUBLE KILL!"

Nautilus laid down and Thresh retreated into his lantern (Dominik's regard and lethality OP), Pantheon threw his spear to Ziggs and scored a critical strike.

"Blue team TRIPLE KILL!"

"Double up!" Fortune said as she fired a bullet at Leona, and it bounced at Pantheon. Panth didn't has much health left, and thus, he's not tanky enough to stand the attack. After that, Leona's armor were set on fire.

"An attack damage carry with Ignite? Nice choice." She growled.

Fortune smiled. "Ways cleverer than a challenger tier Summoner, right?"

Leona laughed. "But it can't even beat Jinx with Trinity Force and Teleport." She looked at the bounty hunter cunningly before laid down on her back right by Pantheon's, who was lying on his own back, side. The scene looked like they were just having a good sleep, painless and peaceful.

"What?" Fortune just realized how foolish her team was. They didn't pay attention to their Nexus, and Jinx had a Teleport. "You jerk!" She cursed.

A loud sound came to her ears. Their Nexus exploded. "Blue team victory!"

* * *

"Actually, I told my summoner to do that." Jinx said. She and her previous team were discussing in the waiting room.

"Wow, you told him to use tactics like a Woodie, like building Trinity Force?" Graves asked.

"Of course, what else! Always be optimistic, that's how I live." Jinx said before running away, laughed like a psychopath (as always).

"She's so crazy." Leona shook her head.

"Yea, and I like her craziness." Graves said. "Terrorizing Piltover? I still have to learn a lot from her." He then walked outside the room. Annie did the same thing, and so Pantheon.

"Pantheon, wait!" Leona said. Pantheon paused right at the door.

"Can't you just listen to me?" She walked beside him. "I don't understand why Rakkorans can't get on with the Solaries. Is fighting all you know?"

"The Solaries' way is passive and weak." Pantheon said. "The Solaries only know to protect the Rakkorans and themself from the outsiders. Just wait for the enemies to come is how they destroying themself!" He sounded angry. "An Aspect like me have to get outside, kill all threats before they become real disasters! You guys didn't support us, stayed passively, isn't that weak?"

"Fighting, killing, all these things that the War Aspect, or the Rakkorans knows," Leona paused, "are clouded ways."

"..."

"I have found many things better, more beautiful than just fighing." Leona continued. "The wisdoms I've possessed are enough for me to realize that. They are what even a god like you can't understand. A mortal Aspect like me can understand that but no, a celestial Aspect like you, can't do the same."

"Understand? Like what Solaries think? Not now, not ever." Pantheon said. "In short, my way of thinking isn't like you and I will not change my mind. Pantheon lives with his ideal: war." He concluded. He took one step further before being stopped by Leona again.

"Wait, you may not change your mind," she said, "but, I want to tell you this: can you please pause training for one night and go for a walk with me

"..."

"I know it's too surprising." Leona said with a strange voice, much like choking. "But, I can't believe this, too. With all the wisdoms I've approached, I can feel something inside you that is different. War is not the only thing in your mind." Now she was really choking. "Also, I feel lonely these days, I just want someone to share something with me, but no one, no one could properly understand me. I know, this is a sign of weakness, but, but I just don't know what happened to me!"

"A god of war doesn't have close relationships with women." Pantheon said briefly. He walked out of the room and to the cafeteria. Leona walked beside him.

"A god of war doesn't have close relationships with women?" Leona repeated. She grinned. "Odin, Ares, Mars, the gods of war, they have their relationships to women, just... a little too various. And Pantheon, you said that you want something new. And this is the chance for you, a thing that have never been, ot rarely happened in this universe. A celestial Aspect with a mortal Aspect, whoever we are, we are the symbol for each star. Atreus star, the star which is the exemplar of war. It is new, isn't it, Atreus?"

"Atreus?" Pantheon paused a bit. "No, there's no more Atreus. Pantheon is everything left in this host. Atreus can't hear you, he's somewhere faraway."

"So, Pantheon, can you please do like the other gods of war, with a little bit 'new' things?" Leona begged. "For you, and for me."

"Whatever you say." Pantheon said.

Then they didn't say anything further when they walked with each other to the cafeteria.

"Well, tell me your answer later, before two o'clock in the morning, then." Leona said to the Aspect of War. He nodded, then he went to the cafeteria keeper.

"Ohhhhh, look," Came a familiar voice.

Leona turned around to see the one she hates the most. And so, I don't have to explain anything more.

",Sunny and Panty, finally you guys decided to date, huh?" Diana grinned.

Leona's eyes narrowed and she felt very angry when she saw her enemy. "What do you want, heretic?!" She growled. Right at the time she said that, Taric and Nami took a slight glance at her, but they didn't show it.

Diana sighed. "Sunny, I can't understand, why the Solari and Lunari can't get on with each other. Why must we fight?" Her eyes looked sad.

"The Sun is the truest light," Leona said, "and any light that comes from other sources are failures."

This time, not only Taric and Nami, but also a bunch of reactions from other champions. Taric, Lux, Ezreal and Karma glared at her disappointedly; Syndra, Veigar, Yorick coughed simultaneously; Ahri, Rengar and Fortune felt food stuck in their throat when they were eating, and Fortune had to took a sip from her champagne cup. The most obvious reaction was Jinx and Lulu burst out in laughter; Jinx whispered something to Lulu and the sorceress ( or philosopher, whatever you call) laughed again as thought she has became a second Jinx.

Neither did Leona care about their reaction nor did she care about her dinner, she just walked away in order to come back to her room on the third floor. On the way to her floor, she could see Tristana ran down stair with Rumble behind her; it seemed that Rumble wanted to invite her to have dinner in some restaurant near the Institute, but Trist didn't accept. She knew Viktor was working with his machines somewhere by hearing the sound of machinery. She also saw Twisted Fate teaching Katarina about card magics.

Leona got into her room and sat down on the chair, put her shield and blade on the table, changed her armor to a coat, trousers and a yellow robe to cover outside. She got to her bed, but before she could lie her back on it, she saw a piece of paper next to her pillow. She picked it up and read it.

'1 a.m, 5th West Street. See you there.' were what in the piece of paper.

Leona smiled. How did he get into her room so fast? The words were like a gift to her. She completely forgot about what happened in the cafeteria (I just don't know I have to feel good or bad for her about this).

* * *

Leona went to the Fifth West street to see Pantheon there. He was wearing his regular armor with the helm to cover his face, but without his spear and shield.

"I am awared that you wanted to go for a walk with me and share some, er, 'things' of yours, right?" Pantheon said. He and Leona started to walk along the street.

"Ah, yea, I guess." Leona said. "You know, this first thing is not of mine, not private, but, I have a feeling that something dark is coming, in the near future."

"I can feel that, too, but I still don't know what is it." Pantheon replied.

Leona sighed. "It seems that Noxus will soon betray what they have signed for. The Institute will have to pause working, all champions will get back to their regions."

"The thing is, the likelihood of this disaster is quite high." Pantheon said as he looked to somewhere on the sky. The street were clean and there were no one but them. Leona can smell the autumn coming into her her nose. A good smell, though.

"You said you want to fight." Leona said after a moment of silence. "But you know, any actions have their consequences."

Pantheon sniggered. "Consequences, huh? It's just a reason of weaklings. A true warriors always see wars as his ideal."

"You sounds like Noxians." Leona snorted. "Odin doesn't accept the ways of Noxians."

"I'm not Odin," the Aspect of War replied, "and thus, this is Runeterra, and Runeterra don't involve anything to Asgard. An Asgardian can see the war is only necessary when they get threats."

"Odin trusted Loki, who was very interested in wars, like you." The Aspect of the Sun said. "And finally what did he get? Swallowed by Fenrir, a stupid wolf! That's why I don't want Rakkorans to see wars as their ideal."

"I'm not like Loki. He interested in wars and want to use it to destroy the world. I want to use war to protect people, but not passively like you." He said. "As a god of war, I have to protect people by killing other people. Otherwise, I'll lost my job.

"You are talking about Sol again. He's too selfish." She paused. "Even if he banish you for not completing your job, then you are still alive, you have many other things, better things to do than just fight, Pantheon."

"I know, I don't like Sol either. But fighting is my desire. And nothing can stop it."

"If so, why don't you choose another kind of fight." Leona said. "Your heart is stronger than many gods. You are stronger than Ares, you can't be easily corrupted by beauty. You are stronger than Hades, who used to desire the sovereign. Now, be stronger than Zeus, Panth."

"Zeus, that lady-killer..."

"Yes, a lady-killer." She contemplated Pantheon. "You have never contact to a woman before, but who can say that you won't be like Zeus? Now is the time to prove it, to prove that you are stronger than him, Panth."

"The best way to not be like him is to keep distance with women." Pantheon muttered.

"You are just trying to avoid women means you are not brave enough to stay close to them." Leona muttered, too. "If you are brave enough to rush into any fight, then how are you don't even dare to be with me. A true warrior is a person who is brave enough to forget his own life in anything."

Pantheon didn't answer...

Leona said. "Well, we can climb to some roof to talk about this since it's starting to be a bit private. I also have my things to share, too."

Pantheon nodded. "Finally, you get into the right subject, huh?"

* * *

"You say that sunlight is the truest light, and the other light are failures, right?" Pantheon asked. He and Leona were sitting on the roof of some house.

"...You are right, I said that, it's the theory of the Solari." Leona said.

"Totally wrong." Pantheon said. "The Solari only care about themself. They say other lights are heresy. Actually, the Solari _is_ heresy."

Leona startled. She narrowed her eyes. "What?!"

"You already heard it." Pantheon said.

"They are not...!"

He interrupted her. "Listen, Leona, I know you praise the sun, but you don't know, the sun is but a star traveling through the universe. The reason why you see it so big is because of distance. The further an object is, the smaller it is in your sight. There are many stars in the universe, some of them are large than the Sun, some are smaller. When you you from somewhere faraway, the Sun looks just like a normal star."

"..." Leona were silenced, she thought about what Pantheon has said. After that, she decided to said. "Even so, I have to say this: there's many people that are big, they have done many things, have many quotes. But you know what, they don't stay near to us. My parents can be not famous, they maybe haven't done many big things, but at least they give a born to me, raised me up so that I am strong like today. Just like the Sun, it may not be a big star, but it stays close to us, gives us light, gives us life, and that's why I see the Sun as my true lead."

"Your parents can't do everything. They can't help you when you have to stand on the battlefield and fight." He reflected her. "They are good, but they can't protect you when you have grown up. The people who can help you are the others, who are not the same bloodline with you. When you travel to the outerspace, the Sun wouldn't shine you anymore; you have find other sources of light to keep yourself."

"The outerspace..."

"Yes, the outerspace, I have been traveling through stars, viewing planets from the view of space. They are more than what you have known, have witnessed." Pantheon contemplated the sky. "When I paused at Runeterra, I felt this planet is much different from the others. That's why I decided to entry it."

"Just like Atreus, is he much different from any mortal hosts you've occupied, right?" Leona asked.

Pantheon nodded. "Right, he's very strong, not only physically, but also mentally. He can leaves everything behind but his comrades. He desires fighting. The Rakkorans are also Sun praisers, but a little different from the Solari. You were in the right path until you disobeyed the rule of them. Trust me, the Solari is the wrong one."

"No, I disobeyed them, because I could saw that my foes did no harm to people on Targon. It is very cruel to kill someone that doesn't have hatred feelings toward people." Leona said. "I forgave my foe, and he lead me to the Silver City to get power from the Sun. Forgiving is an art, like Ionians said."

Pantheon fell into silence for seconds, then he laughed. "You don't truly understand the heart of Ionians. You learn the forgiveness from them but you didn't realize what they wanted to say. I also didn't see what they wanted to say, too but... only now, after you remind me this did I realize it. The light from the Sun is just like a big light that brings life to everything. But the lights, which only shine in the night are the lights of hopes, of aspires, of the dreams. Each light has their own beauty, none are completely similar to the others. That's why the Solari should think about this again."

Leona looked down. Yea, at least, she had to think a lot about the hearts of Ionians. But she didn't want that, she didn't want to doubt the righteousness of Solari. She didn't know that what was coming would change her forever. Not for so long, just a few more months. But that was not what she cared about. At least until she heard what Pantheon said.

"Hey, this have gone too far." Leona changed subject. "Why don't we discuss something more entertaining, like some jokes."

"Jokes?" Pantheon repeated. "I don't know joke."

"Can I borrow a weapon? Do you have one?" Leona asked.

"I don't bring my spear with me." He replied.

"Ah, it's alright." Leona said. "I don't need weapon anymore. Look!" She punched into the upper air, as though she was punching the moon.

"Die! Anna!" She shouted to the moon.

"Die, Anna?" Pantheon didn't know to say anything further.

"Yeah, not Diana, it's Die, Anna!" She laughed.

Pantheon grinned. "Nice pun, honest."

"Thanks. And listen clearly. If you bake bread in your way, then you can use bread loaves as your shield. I mean, with your skill, the loaves will be so hard that it can replace your shield, funny, right?"

Pantheon shook his head. "Not at all."

Leona changed her face from smiley to angry. "At least better than you, you don't even know how to joke."

"I'll tell a joke, then: your sword is way too big, and you need a sheath for it." Pantheon said as he looked at her.

Leona couldn't get it at first, but after a few seconds, her face blushed like sunset. "You...! You dare to say such thing!"

"At least it is funnier than your joke."

"No, it is not, you pervert bastard!" Leona growled. She punched his shoulder as hard as she could. Leona was strong, but not enough to do damage to Pantheon with an ordinary punch, as a result, he felt hurt but not too much. Suddenly, a light bulb appeared above Leona's head.

"Yea, I really need a sheath and _you_ will be it!" Leona gave a debauched smile, not like her at all. Both of them laughed uncontrollably as though they have never been so care free before.

"You know, it's two o'clock in the morning, and we need some sleep." Leona said. "We'll sleep here, right on the roof. Count this as your best first time." She laid her back on the roof.

"Right." Pantheon said as he laid beside her.

"Good night." Leona said.

"Good night." Pantheon said.

* * *

"Panth! Wake up!"

Pantheon opened his eyes. Those eyes were still shining red as always.

"Look!" Leona pointed to the horizon. Pantheon looked at it. The Sun is rising, half of its form has revealed, the other half were still beyond the horizon. It was shining red, just like his eyes.

"The Dawn has arrived!" Leona said.

* * *

 **See? Just need some hopes, with some creativity, you'll win a match, even if you use tactic like a Woodie or a Challenger. No matter how behind you are, just continue fighting and hope for a victory. DO NOT SURRENDER. When you feed, it is just like in the night, you don't know where to go, but when you successfully in team fighting, you can reverse the direction of the snowball, at this time, the dawn has came to you.**

 **Anyway, the Sun is not the biggest thing, guys, it is but a star** **traveling through space.**

 **All I want to tell you: firstly, if you surrender, it means that you drop your own chance to reverse the snowball direction, so DO NOT SURRENDER. Secondly, the world around you is too small. The knowledge of mankind is but a star in the vast universe, that's why you have to change the view to this world. Look further than your sight is an important way to live.**

 **Cloud of Daybreak.**


	4. Rural essences

**Er, so, it've been a while since I updated the last chapter. Well, I'm so disappointed that my third chapter was bad, you know, especially when Leona is my favorite support. This time is not a surprise, but it should be better, and I promise that.**

 **You guys can place this pair to be rivals, lovers, friends,... but as a person who usually look for new stories, I'll ship them together, much different from the lore itself. I'm not meant to say that the lore is bad, but I think it is good to look from another side of view. This is inspired from 'Follow the wind' written by Tahimikamaxtli.**

 **Tahimi, if you are reading this, I want to say that I'm grateful to you for writing such a great story and bringing a different view to people.**

 **So, let get this straight on.**

* * *

Yasuo x Riven:

Ionia have already taken their independence back from Noxus for years, but their souls are wounded forever and nothing can completely recover them.

Even the Noxian warriors have commited many murders to the innocents, they are still welcomed and be given a chance to restart a new life in Ionia. Some of them accepted it and forgot what they have done to continue with their life, some of didn't accept and never forgot what Noxus have taught them. Riven was different. She accepted her new life in Ionia but always remind herself of her hometown, where she spent more than half of her lifetime.

Ionia was a land of forgiveness, but there was a crime that was unforgivable: killing an Elder. Yasuo was thought to be the betrayer who killed his murder. People who are given this crime usually couldn't resist and accept their death. Yasuo was different. He didn't accept his punishment. He wanted people to know the truth that he didn't kill his Elder, and he would do anything to escape and take his honor back, even if that meant he must kill his friends.

When the Ionia Council realized that Riven was the true murderer, she was still forgiven because she was different from other Noxians. She was still young, still promising and the most important: her soul has changed.

After a long long long story, Yasuo and Riven fell for each other and they lived a happy life in Ionia. Yasuo wanted to teach Riven more about the beauty of Ionia, and he did well. The story below is one of a moments when they were in Ionia.

...

"Hey, Riven, do you want to go around Ionia for a day?" Yasuo asked Riven while they were in the park.

"Er, yes. I still want to know some more about this country." She answered. "Take me to somewhere that help me with knowledge. Do you know any?"

"Of course I do." He said. "Let's go!" He took her hand and pulled her away.

"Slow down!"

"No, this can't be slowed down." Yasuo said. "We'll be late if we don't arrive in time."

Riven followed him to a paddy field, where she usually come to. But this time, the paddy rice was completely growth and was ready to be harvested. The fragrant smell of the field ran across the earthen path of the countryside.

"Why do you take me here?" Riven asked.

"Smell it." Yasuo said. "Feel the sweetness of autumn." Riven closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Can you feel it?" He asked her. "Can you feel more comfortable? The heavy thoughts in your mind are all cleansed away. Did you?"

Riven took another breath and opened her eyes. She nodded.

"So relaxing! I feel better now." She smiled. "But does this make me know more about anything?"

"It does." Yasuo said. "When I used to be a child, I usually go to a paddy field to cleanse my mind from the dust in my mind. It was such a memorable childhood, you you know."

"Right, Karma and Ahri told me that they often do so, too." Riven said. "When I was in Noxus, the paddy fields only have one meaning: one of the things that keep people alive with their rice products."

Yasuo chuckled. "Keep people alive... That is the essential meaning. Only one meaning that make it so beautiful. Noxians couldn't truly understand this meaning."

Riven kept feeling the fragrant smell of paddy rice until Yasuo took her hand again and pulled her again. Riven followed him to the down of mountain. When they arrived, Riven suddenly heard a flux of music. It was pure and unstained. The sound charmed her just like how Ahri did; she felt it imbuing her soul, shaking her heart gently.

"It's familiar, isn't it?" Yasuo asked.

Riven smiled. "Ahri's flute. Yes. I've heard it before. Seducing, unresistable..."

"Do you understand the meaning of it?" Yasuo asked.

"Meaning. Again." She said. "She sometimes play her flute. It made my heart like stop pumped. With its music, I temporary forget everything, just like I lost into a completely separated world."

"Ah, you got your point." He said. "Like a kind of sedative, but it is different: it can't corrupt you. Contrariwise, it richen your heart." Yasuo paused for a moment, then he continued. "But don't use it too much or you'll get lost in paradise."

"Ha ha, I already knew that. Ahri warned me about the dangerousness of it."

"It is dangerous only when you can't keep yourself." Yasuo grinned.

"Hey, the music stopped!" Riven startled. "Thanks god, I almost died listening to it."

"Let's climb the mountain to find out more things." Yasuo suggested.

"OK, that's good. Let's go, but don't run to fast." Riven glared at Yasuo.

"Huh, I'll just run with my regular speed." He laughed before ran with an excessive speed up mountain. Riven couldn't react at first, then she roared angrily when her eyes followed him.

When Yasuo was running, he felt a strong wind blowed from behind him to his front and continued blowing up mountain. He stopped as soon as he realize the wind was not naturally born.

"Riven!" He shouted. "You cheated!"

From a bough of a tree by the side of the trail, Riven jumped down and landed on her feet right in front of Yasuo and stood up.

"I told you not to run too fast, but you didn't listen!" Riven smiled even though she sounded angry. "Moreover, Hurricane Rush is not in my kit in the Rift, why mustn't I try it once."

"Fine." Yasuo growled." Now you did. Happy now?"

"Not really. What I just did is even less than one percent of the Rush's full power." Riven grinned. She looked around her and took a breath. "Hey, I think we can stop here right now. The scene here is beautiful."

She was right. The scene was beautiful: a small stream gently flowed down mountain; some mossy stone boulders were on the ground, some of them were stuck inside earth; a forest full of deep green spruces in different sizes.

Wait...

 _Spruces?_

The couple then quickly realized that.

"Wow, full of spruces." Yasuo was surprised. "We have climbed so high, huh?"

Riven was also astonished, no less that Yasuo. "I couldn't believe that we can here that fast. Our speeds were disgusting."

"No, not disgusting, it was awesome!" Yasuo said.

"Disgustingly awesome!" Riven fixed and laughed. Yasuo laughed as well.

"Let's take a seat." Riven said. She found out a boulder near to them. "Look, the moss of this boulder is dried, we can sit on it. And it is under this huge spruce, too."

"Right, it'll provide us with shade." Yasuo said and walked to the boulder, took his seat beside Riven, who was already sat on it.

"Ha, the moss made the roughness of rock gone." Riven said. "It's not like a rock anymore, it's like a soft mattress. This feeling I never had it in Noxus."

The sound of the stream flow was like whistle blowing through the air.

"Can you hear it?" Yasuo asked.

"Hear what?" Riven gave the question back.

"Hear it." He didn't answer directly. He wanted Riven to feel it. Again, she closed her eyes to help her ears to pay attention.

"The stream, the flow..." She opened her eyes. "Wow, I felt it like a zither is being played by an expert. But, wait, it's not only a zither, it's ... _Etwahl_." Her face brightened.

Yasuo nodded. "Yea, it's Etwahl. Not only Etwahl, but also... Sona. She's the only one who can beat the whistle of an autumn stream."

Suddenly, the music started once more. Ahri was playing her flute again, but this time she played a different song: a lullaby. The music mixed with the whistle of stream, the flaps of bird wings, the blowing breezes and the collision sound of them with leaves. All those sounds mixed together, created an extravaganza of the country.

Yasuo quietly sang the lullaby along with the music. His singing was soft, warbling and gentle. Although Riven didn't understand much about Ionian, she could still speak some words; that's why she knew what the lullaby wanted to say. When Yasuo completed singing as the music stopped, Riven started sobbing.

"I didn't have such beautiful childhood." She said. "How could Ionians write such an emotionful song? Even though my childhood didn't connect with any lullaby, I still have to admit that this is the best song I ever heard."

Yasuo didn't say anything, he just nodded.

"This lead me to a question." Riven said. "Where is Ahri, and what spot did she choose to make the music so shaking?"

"I don't really have an idea about it." He replied. "She's always unpredictable. About the music, no matter what instrument and position, it is still shaking."

The two again fell into a deep silence. There was only the collision sound of the breezes with the leaves.

"Hey," Yasuo suddenly said, "I have a place to take you to."

"Where?" Riven asked.

"Then you'll know." He said. He stood up, Riven did as well. They kept climbing the mountain until reached the top. There they found a person sitting on a bough and she was the one who they have just talked about. Not a person, actually. For exact, a vastayan.

"Hi." Ahri said.

"Hi." Riven and Yasuo replied simultaneously.

"How are you doing?" Ahri asked.

"Good." Yasuo answered. "We need to go now, see you later."

"See ya." The vastayan said.

The couple passed the mountain top to went to the other side of the mountain. When they walked down for a while, Ahri started to play a different song. The music this time was softer but sadder, more miserable.

"What is the song about?" Riven asked Yasuo.

"Well, it's about a man and a lady." Yasuo replied. "They were from two different nations who were rival to each other. They fell in love, but that action was no different from betrayal. They escaped away from their own hometown to another country."

"Did they manage to?" She asked.

"They did, but not for long." Yasuo said. "The bounty hunters caught them, and they were taken back to their nations in attempt to execute."

Riven covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes widened. "Oh dear!" She snorted. "We are much luckier than them."

"I know, that's why Ionia is beloved by many people." Yasuo sighed. They continued walking down mountain without a single word. Traveling down was much faster than climbing up. Soon, they got to the forest cover. There was a floating island in the air, with a fortress and some trees on it. Take a guess. Right.

No worry, she was absent, so Yasuo and Riven decided to approach it, still with awareness.

"Thanks god, she's not here right now, otherwise we would have been lost our corpses." Yasuo sighed in relief.

"Come on, she's not that scary." Riven encouraged him. "You just need to be friendly and give a sign that you respect her."

"I don't want to think about it." Yasuo said.

"Look! It seems that she planted lotuses." Riven said as she pulled his right arm and ran toward the island, or the lagoon next to it, for exact. The lagoon surface were covered with pink lotuses and leaves. Riven's eyes started sparkling before the scene and she weaved her fingers together. "So beautiful! All of these lotuses are hers, aren't they?"

"Yes, they are hers." Yasuo said.

"Can you go and pick me one?" Riven asked with excitement. No doubt, she must have been waited for so long to get a lotus.

"Hell no. She will kill both of us." He said.

"Even if she knows, then Ahri and Irelia can explain it for us." Riven said. "Moreover, you are a soldier, aren't you? Or you are a coward?"

"Riven.. please."

"Are you a soldier... or a coward?" Riven asked slowly and looked at Yasuo's eyes without a blink.

He sighed. "Alright, I'm a soldier."

Riven's face brightened. "Yay!" She yelled in happiness and jumped up like a five years old. "You are the best!"

Yasuo walked toward the lagoon, looked clearly. After a minute, he chose a very beautiful lotus and picked it up, then he went back and gave it to Riven.

"You are the most cruel woman in the world, Riven." Yasuo said.

"You will have to think again when you meet Lux. I'm pretty sure." Riven smiled. "Oh, can you tell me some more things about lotuses?"

"Uh, of course." Yasuo said. "Lotuses is the symbol of equilibrium. Look at those petals, they are equal. They are also the symbol of women. You see, lotuses are very beautiful and stay unstained even when grown in mud. In addition, lotuses are like women, mud is like wind and dust. In short, women, even when they are buried in torment, they still keep on living to prove that they are not weak and cannot be corrupted."

"Wow, that's great and deep." Riven said as she looked excitedly at the lotus. "Irelia told me that lotuses are also the root of all mankind, can you explain further?"

Yasuo blushed. "Well, it's also related to women, but I don't know anything further."

"Oh, please, tell me." Riven begged. "Why women are related to 'source of life'?"

Yasuo blushed more. "I said I don't know! Now let's go away as early as we can," Yasuo said, "otherwise, that blackish-purple lioness will come and kill us."

"Er, Yasuo..." Riven said with hesitance. Her face showed an extreme fear.

"What?" He asked.

"Be...behind you!" Riven stuttered.

Yasuo turned his head around and what he saw next, is what he never wanted to recall.

* * *

"I _told_ you!" Yasuo said loudly as he and Riven were running into the forest with a one-thousand-miles-per-hour speed. "This is why I don't want pick her lotus!"

"Hey, don't blame it." Riven said. " _You_ are the one who slurred her! This is not even involve picking lotuses. At least we are still alive, and I still get my lotus."

"Is she still after us?" Yasuo asked.

"I don't think so." Riven replied. "We are much faster, right?"

"You should have warned me earlier!"

"That's totally not expected!" Riven said as she and Yasuo kept running without getting tired. "She appeared right midair, I couldn't help!"

"What!?" Yasuo shouted. "You mean she appeared like a ninja?"

"No! It's not a ninja technique!" Riven shouted back. "It's more like a dark magic!"

Unexpectedly, Riven fell on her feet and used her hand to stand.

"Watch out!" Yasuo shouted. Riven turned back to lie on her back and all of a sudden, she sweeped Yasuo's feet and made he fell on her. She placed her right hand on his nape.

She pushed it to her face.

Their lips met.

Yasuo tried to get her out but she was kissing him at will and he couldn't do anything.

After an eternity, Riven pulled Yasuo out.

"I don't think it's time to do this." He said.

"Come on, she is not chasing us anymore." Riven said. "We need time to relax, okay?"

"Stay aware anytime." Yasuo said. "Like you said, she used dark magic to travel from places to places, she can catch up with us anytime."

"She won't be so cruel with her friends, so we don't need to worry about her." Riven gagged. "Uh, we need somewhere to rest."

Riven picked her lotus up. She and Yasuo started walking deeper into the forest. Soon, they got to a bamboo forest. Riven saw bamboo many times, but this time the bamboos were blooming. Their flowers were slighty yellow. They reminded Riven something that she thought she'd forget.

"I was told that bamboo blossoms are the symbol of death." She said. "Bamboos only bloom once, when they are about to leave the mortal lands."

"Ah, I know many people think so." Yasuo sighed. "But look at the positive site of it. Smell it clearly."

Riven inhaled. She let every inches of the air around get into her, to feel it.

"Sad." Riven said.

"What?" Yasuo asked.

"It smelled sad." She repeated. "Lightly fragrant, sad, like a soldier about to die."

"Not only sad, but also beautiful, you know." Yasuo said. "The death of a soldier is beautiful. He sacrifices for his own country, that's respectable and worth to be honored. Similarly, bamboos only bloom once because they know that they can't live longer after. At this time, they spend all of the essence that they have stacked through their life to give the born to the beauty."

"That's nice." Riven smiled. "I were also told that bamboos will not change their shape even when get burnt or cracked. It's a symbol for people who would never change their loyalty regardless wind and dust." She looked down. "Shamefully, I betrayed Noxus. How can you even love someone like me, I sometimes wonder."

"It's because you are different from other Noxians." Yasuo said. "You regretted killing people, me either. You searched for redemption, so do I."

Riven nodded. "Right, I couldn't have believed my life would change like this, neither do you." She noticed that the sky was getting dark, and the wind started blowing stronger.

"It is going to rain, right?" Riven asked.

"Pretty sure." Yasuo answered. "Let's find somewhere to hide the rain."

"Tamara's abandoned house is there." Riven pointed to a house. "Since she moved away, we can go in there freely."

"I bet the house wasn't there one minute ago." Yasuo said awkwardly.

"Errrr, I'm sure we'll be fine." Riven said as she pulled Yasuo to the house. It was a dark, old wooden house. Inside it, the ceiling was leaked. Actually, it was abused from the chiefs.

"Great, a beautiful place." Yasuo muttered.

"It is." Riven fixed. "There's even a straw coach for us to sit."

"Straw... well, fine."

The rain wasn't as heavy as expected. Soon, the couple got out of the house and walked away. Birds were singing again. Yasuo and Riven could see young bamboo sprouts were appearing next to old bamboo roots.

"Look, Riven." Yasuo looked at the sprouts, so did Riven. "The children are taking their parents' place. Soon, they'll grow up and become the next citizens of this bamboo city."

Riven giggled. "Soon enough, our child will become another protector of Ionia, just like Irelia, Yi, and you."

"You still haven't pregnant yet." Yasuo laughed. "How are we supposed to know."

"Is that so?" Riven smirked. "The sprouts aren't growed up yet, how are you supposed to know if there will be no one come and pick them?"

Both of them burst out in laugh. They hardly had any time to relax like that. The air after rain was cool and comforting. It can be one of the thing that relaxed them.

"The rain was not heavy." Riven said. "Summer might still there to cause rains, but autumn is taking its place."

Yasuo nodded. "Yes, this is similar to a person's life: the children, teenagers are in spring age; people like me, you, Irelia, Syndra are in summer; middle-aged people like Yi are in autumn; while the elder are winter."

"You mean we have to keep our youth deep in our heart, and don't let it fade away?" Riven asked.

"Right, the memories of spring and summer are the best." Yasuo said formally. "We have to _live_ much as we want, we live while we're young, and don't let our youth pass meaninglessly." He turned to look at Riven, and Riven turned to look at him, either. "That's why I want to..."

"Don't say that!" Riven interrupted him. She smiled cunningly. "I guess you want this." She pushed his nape to made his head closer to hers.

"Riven?... Hmmphh.."

...

.

.

.

.

"How is it? That's what you wanted, right?" Riven asked.

"Why do you think I wanted that." Yasuo asked back.

"Don't let our youth pass meaninglessly, enjoy every moment of it." Riven reminded.

"Enjoy every moment?" Yasuo narrowed his eyes. "You gave me only one kiss, and you called it enjoyable."

"It was the sweetest, most passionate kiss I've gave you so far." Riven smiled. "What else do you want?"

Yasuo stared at Riven like he wanted to say something, and Riven did catch the stare. She shook her head. "We can do it at home. The rain made the soil wet already, I don't think it need to be wet more."

"You empathize me, Riven." Yasuo said.

"And you empathize me, Yasuo." Riven said.

"We empathize each other." They said simultaneously.

* * *

 **I still have no idea why that house appeared all of a sudden.**

 **And don't ask me why didn't they get in the house to entertain.**

 **I wanna be gone with the wind. Yasuo is a lucky guy, though.**

 **Cloud of Daybreak, live at Online Fanfics. Hopefully Janna stays that way.**


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